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Aug. 28, 2012 – Men who have been treated for prostate cancer, either with surgery or radiation, could benefit from taking aspirin regularly, says a new study that looked at outcomes of almost 6,000 men.

(TORONTO, Canada – Jan. 24, 2012) – For men diagnosed with low-risk, localized prostate cancer, treatment with dutasteride (brand name “Avodart”) delays disease progression, a 3-year study has found. The drug is classed as a 5a-reductase inhibitor. The study found that in men who at this stage opted for "Active Surveillance," Avodart delayed the start of more active treatment while reducing anxiety.

The findings are published online in The Lancet (March 234, 2012). The results are part of a 3-year international clinical trial led by Dr. Neil Fleshner, Head of Urology, University Health Network (UHN).

SEATTLE – For cancer survivors, exercise that focuses on strength training is physically safe and effective and also beneficial from an all round psychosocial point of view. This is the conclusion of study published online in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship.

Last Updated (Tuesday, 24 January 2012 00:28)
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Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:14

If cancer cells are starved for glucose and oxygen they can convert glutamine into glutathione to obtain energy, a study by Johns Hopkins researchers finds.

Cancer cells have been long known to have a “sweet tooth,” using vast amounts of glucose for energy and for building blocks for cell replication.

Now, this study, by a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere, shows that lymph gland cancer cells called B cells can use glutamine in the absence of glucose for cell replication and survival, particularly under low-oxygen conditions, which are common in tumors.

Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a potential target to treat an aggressive type of prostate cancer. The target, a gene called SPINK1, they say "could be to prostate cancer what HER2 has become for breast cancer."

Like HER2, they say in a press release, SPINK1 occurs in only a small subset of prostate cancers – about 10 percent. "But the gene is an ideal target for a monoclonal antibody, the same type of drug as Herceptin, which is aimed at HER2 and has dramatically improved treatment for this aggressive type of breast cancer."